Fitting in
by RowenRae
Summary: It was supposed to be an adventure to see the stars not become a fight. Of course Corin had to mess everything up.
1. Chapter 1

"Aravis?"

The girl's muffled sobs stopped as she sniffed and sat up questioningly. She heard her door swing shut and the patter of feet coming to stop by her bed. "Shasta?" She whispered, reaching out a hand and meeting his in the dark. She pulled slightly and he clambered up to sit beside her.

"It's Cor, remember? Think you'd know it by now. We've been here almost two months after all."

Aravis chuckled slightly before breaking down into tears again.

"Oh please, Aravis. Stop crying. It's absolutely awful when you cry."

"It's just-it's too dark. There aren't any stars and I'm so cold." Cor himself, still used to the hot Calormane air, was cold, so he pulled a blanket around both of them.

"Look here, Aravis," he said, rather seriously. "If you stop crying, I'll take you on a little adventure.

Aravis took a few deep breaths. She hated crying in front of Cor, well anyone, but especially Cor. "I've had enough adventure for a long time," she said, wiping away the last tears with the edge of the blanket.

"Please? I know you'll like it and it'll be over by morning."

"You're sure?"

"Quite."

"Well," she hesitated for another moment before finally relenting. She wouldn't get back to sleep for a long time anyway. "Alright. But no lions or armies."

"No lions," he agreed. "Now get your warmest cloak."

"Where are we going?" She whispered as they made their way down the silent corridors of the castle.

"You'll find out." This was followed almost immediately by a wordless exclamation as Cor began to hop up and down on one foot.

Aravis smirked at him. "You know, if you wore shoes you wouldn't keep doing that."

He grimaced back at her, rubbing his bare toes. "I can't abide shoes. I've never needed them, never even had any. Why should I wear them now?"

"Because they look better than your dirty feet, they'll protect your toes and keep them warm."

"You sound like Father."

"Keep going."

Grumbling under his breath, Cor lead her through the kitchens and out a side door. Sneaking around the edge of the courtyard they quickly made their way to the stables. Aravis stopped just inside the door, breathing in the familiar scent of horse. On a night when she'd desperately needed something familiar, Shasta –no Cor, she berated herself- had known exactly where to go.

"I like the castle," Cor said, leading her to the stall of the horse King Lune had given him. "But at night, it seems too small, but-"

"But too big at the same time," Aravis finished. "Me too. It's nothing like sleeping outside." She buried her face in the horse's mane.

"Want to go out?"

Aravis looked up, startled. "You mean past the castle walls?" Cor nodded. "Are we allowed?" He shrugged.

"I don't know. But why shouldn't we? It's only a few hours till dawn and we'll just tell the guard we're going to the river."

She still looked dubious.

"Please, Aravis. You wanted to see stars."

She huffed in exasperation and shrugged. Cor smiled and saddled his horse with practiced ease.

"Come on then," he said, mounting up.

"Should I get my horse?"

"No, he can hold two of us." Aravis shrugged again and grabbed Cor's waiting hand, swinging up even more gracefully than he had. The only time Cor was remotely graceful was on a horse. His dance masters despaired of him ever being graceful anywhere else.

Alerting the guard, who didn't resist (It was the Crown Prince after all), to where they'd be, Cor and Aravis rode out the gate and down the road, turning towards the river that sparkled in the sinking moon's last light.

"It still amazes me," whispered Aravis, her breathe tickling Cor's ear, "how many constellations I don't know. We're so far North it's like a totally different world."

"It _is _a totally different world." They stopped at the edge of the river, but for a long time they simply sat, relishing in the new stars and familiar feel of a horse under them. But eventually Aravis stirred, just in time to regain her balance before she could tumble off the horse's back.

"Best get off now," Cor said, laughing. "Before you're so asleep you can't wake up in time."

"Ha ha," Aravis mumbled, but she slid off and sat in the cool grass as Cor followed suit. The horse lay down behind them and let the two children lean against his warm back.

"Feeling better?" Cor asked her.

"Mhm," she was already half asleep again. "Thank you, Shasta."

"Cor, remember?" But she didn't hear. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her before he too drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ho!"

Cor woke with a start and found a mirror-image of himself bending over him. "Go away," he mumbled.

"Shan't, brother," Corin said, sitting down in front of him, the early sun just starting to light the sky behind him. Cor scowled and turned over, only to get a mouthful of Aravis's hair. He sat up, spitting out dark strands as she opened her eyes and started to giggle, joining Corin who was laughing uproariously.

"I don't see what's so funny," Cor grumbled.

"You are, brother of mine. You're an absolute bear in the morning, Isn't he, Aravis?"

She nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with one hand while the other petted the horse's nose, as he looked around in surprise at the noise that had interrupted his sleep.

"What are you doing out here, Corin?" asked Cor, stretching his arms out in front of him. His twin grabbed his wrists and leaned back the soles of his boots pushing against Cor's bare heels.

"I could ask you the same thing,"Corin replied as the both stretched as far back as they could. "I went to your room but you were gone. So was Aravis when I checked for her. Not in the kitchens, not the stables, though your horse was gone. One of the guards said you'd left during the watch before his and they were still waiting for you to come back and here you are. Pretty good work, huh? Wouldn't our logic teachers be proud?" Corin finished, suddenly letting go of his brother's wrists, and sent both of them tumbling backwards.

"Brilliant, oh great philosopher," Cor sat up, rubbing the back of his head, smiling despite himself.

"Come, brother," Corin stood and offered a hand to both Cor and Aravis, pulling them to their feet. "Let's head back before Father finds out you were gone half the night, and with a girl no less." He pretended to look shocked.

"Was not half the night!" Cor exclaimed indignantly.

"Whatever." Corin slung an arm around his shoulders and began to walk back. Cor scrambled for the reins of the horse, but missed, his brother pulling him along too fast. Aravis smiled and caught the horse, leading him along on Corin's other side.

"What if Father has found out?" asked Cor apprehensively.

"I'll tell him it was your idea," she replied.

"Will he do anything to us?" Cor still wasn't used to a no whips punishment policy.

Corin shrugged. "He'll probably make you muck out stalls." He looked at his brother from the corner of his eye, grinning wickedly. "Course, you've been doing that your whole life, haven't you. Probably enjoy it." He ducked out from under Cor's arm and went dancing away as his brother growled and jumped after him.

"He didn't mean anything by it, Cor," Aravis called after them as they went running up the road.

Corin turned to call back to her. "I meant everything by it and you know it, Aravis." He sidestepped just in time to avoid Cor's tackle.

"You're a bully!" Aravis yelled.

"And you're always defending him," came the response as Corin stuck out a foot to trip his brother.

"I don't need anyone to defend me, spoiled brat," Cor glowered, before trying to tackle Corin again.

"Fish monger." Corin snatched at the back of Cor's shirt, sending him sprawling onto his back.

"Prince of rats," cried Cor.

"Slave," sneered Corin. His brother stared up at him in shock for a moment before anger crossed his features and he launched himself at Corin's knees with a yell, causing both of them to go rolling down the hill. They jumped back up, looking ready to do serious damage to each other.

"Stop it!" cried Aravis, standing between them. "Barbarian dogs, the both of you!" The twins grinned at this and caught the other's eye before remembering they were mad at each other. They looked away with identical scowls on their faces. "By Tash!" Aravis exclaimed. "You two are worse than my brothers."

They wouldn't say anything now, much less apologize and she finally threw up her hands in disgust. They all walked back to the castle, a brother on either side of her, still locked in sullen silence.

Cor tangled his fingers in the horse's mane and despaired of ever fitting in.


End file.
